Carlos Sainz looks likely to receive a 10-place grid penalty for the French Grand Prix after taking a new engine component.
The Spaniard is onto his third of the two allocated new control electronics and so is breaking Article 28.2 of the 2022 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
The change of part does not come as surprise following the Ferrari driver’s fiery exit from the Austrian Grand Prix last time out. He has also taken his second of two allowed energy stores.
The penalties may not stop there either as the team could look to fit more power unit components to the car over the rest of the weekend, which would then trigger further grid demotions.
Whilst Sainz is currently the only driver facing a penalty, he is not the only driver to have a new part fitted to his car.
🚨 Carlos Sainz set for at least a 10-place grid penalty at the #FrenchGP after exceeding his Control Electronics season allowance #F1
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) July 22, 2022
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton has had many new parts fitted including a new turbocharger, motor generator unit-heat and energy store but none of these exceed the seven-time World Champion’s season allocation.
His team-mate George Russell has also had a new energy store and control electronics fitted but will also not be receiving a penalty either.
Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen is onto a new exhaust system, his fourth of an allocated eight while Lando Norris is onto his third.
Like Sainz, Zhou Guanyu has had a new second energy store fitted to his Alfa Romeo car, his second of the season.
The 27-year-old told the Formula 1 website: “It’s still under evaluation, we are still looking at all the available options.
“We also need to see a bit how the overtaking is here, how everything comes into play you know with the heat, the tyres and we will take a decision but obviously there is a chance it will happen.”
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